Wales vs France: Eight-try France run riot in Cardiff as Grand Slam hopes burn bright
France delivered a dominant performance in Cardiff, cruising to an eight-try victory over Wales and dealing a fresh blow to the home side's Six Nations campaign. The visitors struck early, piled on the pressure through the 80 minutes and left Welsh supporters angry as France underlined their credentials as likely champions.
France seize control early and never relent
Les Bleus set the tone immediately with three quick tries in the opening stages to take a commanding lead, before Wales hooker Rhys Carre crossed to give the hosts a brief moment of respite. France hit back, though, and fly-half Matthieu Jalibert touched down just before half-time to secure the bonus-point try that put the game beyond doubt.
The second half offered more of the same as France continued to dominate. Julien Marchand and Theo Attissogbe both went over, extending the visitors' advantage, and captain Charles Ollivon added the eighth French try later in the contest. Wales managed a late consolation from Mason Grady, but by then France had turned a promising start into a comprehensive victory.
The match kicked off at 3: 10 PM ET and was notable not only for the scoreline but for the atmosphere: a huge travelling French contingent made their presence felt in Cardiff, while home support voiced visible frustration as the result became increasingly inevitable.
Welsh questions mount as coaching and form come under scrutiny
It was another grim afternoon for Wales. Captain Dewi Lake said the performance was an improvement on the heavy defeat to England, but that provided little comfort after a humiliating day at the Principality Stadium. Fans expressed anger about the state of the national team, and attendance figures were unusually low for a Six Nations fixture in Cardiff.
Under Steve Tandy, Wales have now conceded four half-centuries in five home Championship matches, leaving little time to regroup. Scotland visit on Saturday in what has been billed as one of Wales’ more winnable fixtures, but they will face a side buoyed by a resurgent season. Gregor Townsend’s Scotland were destructive in their own weekend showing, and will arrive with confidence after a strong display in the Calcutta Cup.
With Wales bidding to avoid a third wooden spoon in a row and desperate to end a 13-game losing streak in the tournament, the fixture list offers little margin for error. One supporter summed up the mood succinctly: "It's impossible to be optimistic at the moment. " That pessimism is now a pressing reality for a nation used to competing at the top of the Championship.
What this means for the tournament and what’s next
For France, the result sustains a perfect start and keeps Grand Slam ambitions alive. Back-to-back victories — following a powerful opening-day win over Ireland — strengthen their position at the top of the table and send a clear message to the rest of the Championship.
Wales must quickly regroup. Their next match, the clash with Scotland, looms large and offers a chance to arrest the slide. Practically, the team will need to tighten defence, improve discipline and find ways to generate meaningful possession against physically imposing opponents.
From a broader perspective, this result reinforces the gulf between France at their best and a Wales side still searching for identity and consistency. The Championship narrative now increasingly centres on whether France can convert this early dominance into silverware, and whether Wales can salvage pride and momentum before the campaign runs out of road.
Share your views on the match and what comes next for Wales in the comments section.
